BU STH Alumna Appointed as Assistant Professor of Congregational Studies and Leadership at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS)
This article was originally published by Louisville Seminary, titled “Louisville Seminary Welcomes Dr. Elizabeth J.A. Siwo-Okundi as Assistant Professor of Congregational Studies and Leadership” on July 1, 2026
Elizabeth J. A. Siwo-Okundi, Ph.D., (’05,’18) has been appointed as Assistant Professor of Congregational Studies and Leadership, “effective July 1, 2026” by Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS).
Dr. Siwo-Okundi joins Louisville Seminary through a collaborative initiative supported by a $10 million Lilly Endowment Inc. grant awarded jointly to Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, and Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The grant supports the development and implementation of a Doctor of Ministry in Adaptive Leadership program designed to equip ministry leaders to navigate the complex challenges facing congregations and communities today.
While Dr. Siwo-Okundi will teach across Louisville Seminary’s degree programs, her primary teaching responsibilities will be within the Doctor of Ministry in Adaptive Leadership program, where she will help prepare leaders to cultivate innovation, resilience, and faithful transformation in changing ministry contexts.
Dr. Siwo-Okundi earned a PhD in Practical Theology (Homiletics), Master of Divinity, and Graduate Certificate in African Studies from Boston University. She earned the Master of Theology from Harvard University, completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Dartmouth Health, and earned a BA in Black Studies from Denison University. Dr. Siwo-Okundi is currently a Visiting Researcher at Boston University African Studies Center. She is a member of several academic guilds including the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians. She also serves on the Harvard Divinity School Alumni/Alumnae Council. In a rare distinction, Dr. Siwo-Okundi stands among the youngest alumni ever to receive an Alumni Citation–the highest award–at Denison University, her achievements etched early into the institution’s enduring legacy.